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Sleep

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Original poster

can anybody help me with this....

17 replies

lorie · 07/03/2007 16:43

my baby (11 wks old) more often than not sleeps through the night (10pm-6.30am)- Yes I know- FAB!

However, he really struggles to sleep in the day, to the point where I actually think that he is 'fighting' sleep. I know having slept through the night he wont need as much sleep in the day but I can tell he is exhausted, crying, fussing, rubbing eyes yet I have help him to sleep, this usually involves rocking him in his pram. I feel so sorry him. He wont sleep in his cot during the day, I have tried.

Today for instance he is having a nap now (finally!) its 4.30pm and he's been awake since 6 ish this morning! Is this normal or healthy?

Has anybody experienced this before, is there anything I can do differently?

PLease help xx

OP posts:

foxybrown · 07/03/2007 16:45

I'm a big fan of making sure the room is totally dark to help them sleep (controversial, I know), but I think it helps. Trouble is mine would only sleep in their cots in the pitch dark ...

skirmish · 07/03/2007 16:45

mine is more or less the same and really fights sleep...unless i take him out in pushchair or rock him, it's as if he doesn't want to go to sleep for fear of missing out on something! it has only recently started to get better...he is 16wk btw

Nbg · 07/03/2007 16:46

Dont have any answers but I'm going to watch this thread because my ds is the same and he's now 6 months old.

amiandlils · 07/03/2007 19:03

Does he go to sleep happily in his cot at bedtime in the evening? Do you put him down awake?

hillary · 07/03/2007 19:12

Have you tried putting the radio on or placing him in front of the washing machine (when its on obviously), the noise sometimes soothes them to sleep - well it does with mine

My dd was the same slept straight through - wonderful after having a bad sleeper - mind you I prayed every night for an easy baby anyway I found she still needed the morning and afternoon sleep too, he's probably over tired. It may be a case of leaving him to go to sleep until he actually does - it can be heartbreaking but he will realise soon, try laying him in his cot and rubbing his back or tummy for a little while - this has also worked for me too...

Failing that a stressed out mum can always pop them in the car and go for a Maccy deees drive through, wonderful....

SidtheKidsMum · 07/03/2007 19:21

My DS fought sleep during the day until he was about 6 months old. Some days he only went down for 20 minutes and that took 40 to settle him. And he didn't sleep through at night without 2/3 feeds until 5 months. I ended up walking for miles during the day as he'd at least stop crying if we were on the move and out in the open.

It did slowly get better. I stuck at it, putting him down when he looked tired, crying (me and him) and he started to go down without a fuss. He's 17 months now and sleeps for about 2 hours in the afternoon and then all night.

But the first months, nightmare. I hope you're doing ok. I found it so hard. I couldn't get anything done and everyone else had babies who slept for at least 4 hours or so during the day. Good luck.

lori21 · 07/03/2007 20:04

My lo was a day time night mare napper and has really improved. We have a nap routine like this...

When my lo looks tired I pick him up, check his nappy, then sing a gentle song whilst I carry him to his cot. I pull the curtains whilst gently singing then I feed him to just off sleep whilst listening to a lullaby CD. I lie him down, tuck him in, give him a lovey, then shut the door.

The feeding him to sleep did not used to work and I did anything possible to get him to sleep. This involved rocking, the hoover, a vibrating chair, white noise generator, but I was determined he would sleep. I realised he really need a nap about 2hours after he woke from his last nap and about 1hr 30min after he woke in the morning. His pattern used to be feed, play, sleep, feed, play, sleep. This changed at about 4 months.

And yes he did used to fight sleep like a good 'un and would stay awake all day without a nap if I did not convince him to nap. They do get overtired though which makes going to sleep even more difficult.

Good luck and hope your good nights continue

redhedjane · 07/03/2007 21:27

My DS has been the same since 11 week growth spurt, he is now 15 weeks. Realised that when he looked tired it was often 'too late' to get him down. He was also overtired a lot of the time.

We now have routine similar to loris - nap 1.5 hours after waking, and every two hours after waking during day - whether he looks tired or not. I also co-sleep with him for his long afternoon nap if he has trouble staying asleep.

To encourage him to sleep in his cot we use a routine similar to bedtime - darken room, put in grobag, cuddle, put down awake, shushh pat if having problems falling asleep.

Only problem now is he has started waking sometimes after 30 mins..... if anyone has any ideas..... hope this helps

lori21 · 08/03/2007 08:54

i tried everything to get him to have a longer nap than 30 mins. nothing worked consistently but he just grew into longer naps at about 7 months. actuallly the only consistent way was to nap with him - useful when he was not sleeping well in the day but did not help with the housework.

Original poster

lorie · 08/03/2007 09:49

Well thanks everybody for your suggestions and support! Brill!

So last night slept through again...so I'll see how he goes today. He can fall asleep on his own at night, during the day it is a different matter? He ALWAYS sleeps in the pram or car so can always resort to that! I'm more concerned about him than the house work etc..it breaks my heart to see him frantic and obviously exhausted! Perhaps he just needs to learn to go to sleep on his own.....should I put him down for sleeps in his cot and let him fuss? Is this controlled crying? I don't really want to go down that route yet, he is too young, yes?

Thanks again xx

OP posts:

redhedjane · 08/03/2007 18:18

hi my ds sometimes goesdown on his own, sometimes not - I have at times been almost in his cot helping him settle! As a ftm I am learning as I go on ....

but IMO i wouldn't leave him to cry, would it be worth keeping on trying to get him to settle in his cot? Otherwise, I agree that it is best to do anything you can to help your LO sleep. How was your day today?

Original poster

lorie · 09/03/2007 16:03

Hi, sorry for delay in reply, no time yesterday...you know how it is! Well yesterday he agian would not sleep apart from a walk in the afternoon....today he had a sleep mid morning and is having a nap now (which is why I'm on here!) having spent 20 mins or so trying to settle him! Better today though. I really don't know what it is?

When he wont go to sleep he is not actually crying as such but just making noise, if you know what I mean?

I shall just keep doing what I'm doing...it's good to know other mums have the similar babies!

Thanks for asking how my day was, nice of you x

OP posts:

gingerninja · 09/03/2007 20:56

Hi Lorie, I kept DD in a moses basket in the lounge where there was a bit of noise during the day until about 3 1/2 months and she got to big for it. Extractor fan, washing machine etc were great soothers. After this I tried to get her to nap in her cot but she has none of it. Instead I stopped battling and did what it took to get her to sleep; walking, laying down with her, sling, rocking, she mostly sleeps on her overturned inflatable ring thing these days. OK so it's not much use if you can't dedicate the time but if you can, just put the other stuff on hold and do what you need to do. Babies seem to get more and more wired when they're tired which keeps them awake.

popeye123 · 09/03/2007 23:10

I'd suggest keeping it simple - establish a nap routine similar to the one you probably have at night (minus the bath! )
i.e.
pull curtains, change nappy, turn on lullaby CD, put baby in sleeping bag, then finally in cot.
don't worry if you find you have to feed him to sleep until he gets used to the idea - he will.

mower · 10/03/2007 19:43

I can say I have just managed to crack this problem with ds 4 1/2 months. He used to scream and scream so badly bless him when he got tired during the day.

I cracked it by putting him in his cot at the very first sign of tiredness ie a yawn, rubbing eyes or getting grizzly, put dummy in, put in sleeping bag he has night time and close the curtains.

Then I leave him and he babbles away and has a bit of a groan in this time I make myself do something productive like make the bed or sort the washing out and don't go back in to him till I have finished the task.

Then go back in put dummy in again but no eye contact and keep repeating till he is asleep.

Have got to the stage now where he will even put himself to sleep without dummy.

My life has got so much easier since day naps have become sorted and ds is so so much happier.

Original poster

lorie · 11/03/2007 18:56

thanks mower, I think I will try this tomorrow and see how it goes.

OP posts:

Original poster

lorie · 12/03/2007 16:34

ok big improvement today! As soon as I saw signs of tierdness I put baby in pram with dummy and left quickly, no pushing pram back and forth! RESULT! He went to sleep without much fussing 3 times!! I'm in shock!

Did what you said mower, when dummy fell out just put it back in and left the room. This seems to work (today). Much happy little baby today.

Yipeeeee Thanks xxx

OP posts:

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